Pregnancy Nutrition Reminders
for the busy woman

Pregnancy nutrition doesn't begin when you find out you're pregnant. It begins way before that to ensure that the would-be mom has been receiving proper nutrition that will sustain the fetus once it is conceived. Sounds like a lot of work, but only if you have a poor diet. Even before thinking about getting pregnant, introduce healthy eating habits into your lifestyle, no matter how busy it is. Not doing so will pose risks of diseases to your baby such as diabetes or heart disease, later on in life.

The good news is, these can be avoided just by eating healthy and doing some exercise. Busy women need to be reminded. Taking care of baby begins even before you plan the color and theme of the baby room.

Pregnancy nutrition reminders:

1. Eat lots of vegetables. For example, seaweed contains iodine which helps early on in the conception of the baby. Low iodine intake could result in abnormalities. And folic acid, also found in seaweed, help in a baby's healthy development.

Other benefits of seaweed:

• Expectant mothers do not catch a cold as often, and if they do, it is not as severe. This is good news for the baby, too!
• Constipation can be irritating, specially when a woman is pregnant! It is lessened when seaweed is part of the diet.

Bonus benefits of seaweed -- Mothers-to-be, read on!


• Hair and nails are strengthened. By the way, this isn't the best time to get a head of curls at the salon. Your hair will take longer to curl... and think of the chemicals that could harm the baby.
• Skin improves. During my first pregnancy 14 years ago, I had adult acne! Eating seaweed helps keep the skin clear, healthy and resilient. Stretch marks, every pregnant woman's nightmare, are less!

3. Think twice before taking in alcohol and coffee. It is best to stay away from these stimulants when preparing your body for conception, during pregnancy and the duration of lactating. So what if Starbucks will miss you? Pregnancy nutrition rules! Baby before that aromatic espresso.

4. If you've been wanting to quit smoking, do so a few months before conception, and stay off it. There are different methods out there to quit so now is a good time to find one method that suits you. As for the non-smoker, this is a reminder that second hand smoke may cause dangers to the developing baby.

5. A daily walk does the body good. Sunlight is needed for our bodies to produce vitamin D which is good for you and the baby. As for the fresh air, it's always good for us! Walking also aids in the circulation of the blood.

6. Dear diary... Remember that teenage diary you wrote? Bring back that habit but this time, write down the food you eat. This becomes your pregnancy nutrition diary. It's best to write down when you've just eaten something. Be specific - for example, if you've eaten seaweed, don't forget to write which kind. Also remember to write the sauces you've added or the drink that came along with it. Even your cravings! After one week, check out your pregnancy eating habits. It's also good to write down how you felt or if there was any reaction to eating a particular type of food. Make the diary or journal small enough to carry around with you.

7. It's okay to eat fat - the right kinds of fat - Omega-3! The human brain is made up of 60% fat and the developing baby needs to be fed the good kinds of fat for it to ensure the development of a healthy brain. here is a short video on Omega-3 as part of pregnancy nutrition.

Hungry for more information on Omega-3? Proceed from this pregnancy nutrition page to Mary Toscano's page.

Check with your health practitioner on what to eat and do as exercise. Pregnant or not, please remember that moderation is key. Enjoy the entire process and be happy. Easy to say but sometimes, we simply need to remind ourselves.

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